Grants Manager, Lebanon Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC)

Project Background:

The Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC) Project’s purpose is the enhanced conservation and protection of Lebanon’s water resources through achieving three objectives: 1) capacity of wastewater (WW) and sanitation management expanded; 2) efficiency of public water utilities to manage water resources increased; and 3) citizens’ water stewardship enhanced. The availability of usable water resources in Lebanon—a strategic priority country to the U.S. Government’s Global Water Strategy—is at risk, jeopardizing the well-being of citizens and the social compact between the Government of Lebanon (GOL) and its people. In achieving WSC’s three objectives, USAID also hopes to gain fuller municipal and community integration—women and youth included—and a more substantial private sector role in Lebanon’s water sector, as well as greater sustainability of water sector enhancements.

Position Description:

Grants Manager

The Grants Manager will play a pivotal role in managing and implementing the grants fund guided by the WSC work plan. He/She will be responsible for adherence to the project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), USAID regulations, contract requirements and limitations, grant policies, procedures, controls, and reporting systems. The individual will proactively coordinate with all staff on planning and implementing grants through open communication, proactive market research, and price analysis.  

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Management

• Responsible for providing training, guidance, and direction to project grants staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of grant policies, procedures, and instructions.
• Uses the FOM to ensure that policies, procedures, and/or practices are being met.
• Responsible for ensuring documentation requirements are met with various departments i.e. technical, grants, and finance.
• Supervises Grants Team.

Planning and Implementation

• Oversees grants management in coordination with the Grants Team.
• With guidance from the Senior Director, Finance & Operations, develops and implements the use of the WSC grants manual.
• Participates in work planning and activity planning to align the grants program with overall project activities.
• Leads the development of timeline and details required for any activities needing grants; conduct market search and price analysis in coordination with technical staff.
• Coordinates with staff requesting grants to prepare Request for Applications (RFAs) to solicit applications and assess the capacity and readiness of potential grantees.
• Manages the evaluation and selection committee process for grantees.
• Prepares the required approvals to ensure compliance with internal and external contract and policy requirements.
• Prepares grant agreements and amendments, explaining terms, conditions, roles, and responsibilities. Ensures that identified weaknesses in initial grantee assessments and related requirements are incorporated into the agreements explicitly/clearly with the required monitoring and actions on the part of the grantee and LWP.
• Organizes kickoff meetings and apprises grantees of the responsibilities, requirements and policies and procedures to be followed during the life of the grant.
• Ensures post award grant management in accordance with relevant regulations and generates reports of status of grant activities, such as forecasting payment, inventory, amendments, close outs, and sector specific data (i.e. monthly and quarterly reporting).
• Coordinates with Finance and Technical Teams to ensure on-time deliverables, payments, and cash flow requests by monitoring milestones and payment schedules.   

Compliance

• Provides training, guidance, and direction to project staff on planning, implementation, and compliance of grants policies, procedures, and instructions, specifically their role in the process.
• Reviews grants for completeness and appropriateness with the WSC work plan.
• Ensures all required documentation is uploaded in the grants database TAMIS.
• Reviews grant milestones and requests for payments against grant agreements to ensure compliance.
• Trains on and enforces policies and procedures to prevent improprieties, intentional and unintentional.
• Leads the audit of grant files no less than annually.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; degree in business or related field preferred.
• At least 8 years of professional experience, including increasingly responsible grants experience, preferably with international donor-funded organization.
• Familiarity with USAID rules and regulations required.
• Previous experience with DAI policies, procedures, and systems (TAMIS) preferred.
• Ability to solve complex technical, managerial, or operational problems and evaluation options based on relevant information.
• Strong communication skills - both written and oral – in English and Arabic.

About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.